Bose A, et al. - Among 11,806 participants from the REGARDS study, researchers investigated whether the gender disparities in atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with difference in risk factors resulting in AF or because of a differential influence of the same risk factors. Via electrocardiograms and medical history at follow-up, incident AF was determined. The researchers investigated AF risk factors in men and women, separately, by using backwards elimination logistic regression. Various AF risk factors were shared by both sexes, including age, white race, height, weight, use of blood pressure-lowering medications, and history of cardiovascular disease. The gender disparities were explained by these shared risk factors. Only age, among the shared risk factors, demonstrated a stronger link in women vs in men. The sex difference in AF risk disappeared upon adjustment for the shared risk factors; this was more pronounced in those younger than the median age (62 years) vs those who were older.